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E653 series
The E653 series is a Japanese dual-voltage Limited Express electric multiple unit. Built from 1997 to 2005 for JR East, the E653 series was mainly used on the Fresh Hitachi services based out of Tokyo, but have since been relocated to Niigata and are used on Inaho and Shirayuki services there. History The E653 series was designed in 1997 to replace aging 485 cars in addition to speeding up the Hitachi service. Eight seven-car sets (numbered K301 – K308) and four four-car sets (numbered K351 – K354) were built, all by either Hitachi, Kinki Sharyo or Tokyu Car Corporation (now known as J-TREC). The first sets entered service on 1 October 1997 with the introduction of the revised timetable; the goal of the introduction of the E653 series, the replacement of the aging 485 series cars on Hitachi services, was achieved by 8 December 1998 with the introduction of that year's revised timetable. With the planned introduction of the E657 series sets in 2012, the E653 series sets were planned to be retired from the Fresh Hitachi and Super Hitachi services altogether and relegated to other services. However, this did not actually happen for a time; due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the E653 series was operated in tandem with the new E657 series sets until 16 March 2013 with the introduction of that year's revised timetable, when the E657 series completely replaced all E653 series on the Fresh Hitachi and Super Hitachi services. With the replacements in place, the E653 series were modified to become E653-1000 series sets, given new coats of paint and given new fleet numbers. The entire fleet of 72 cars were then relocated to Niigata Depot and have remained there ever since. All 72 cars are in service, all based at Niigata Depot. The E653 series normally ply either the Inaho or Shirayuki services based in Niigata. Design The E653 series uses a streamlined design with a "white blossom" body with "titanium metallic" accents. The design is said to use an "elegant and powerful" design language. On the original sets manufactured from 1997, each set would have one of five colors as shown splashed on their skirtings; each color represented what color would come to mind after imagining some things of landmarks around the Jōban Line. "Orange persimmon" was only used on four-car sets while the remaining colors were used on seven-car sets Each car had a sticker of a caricature of a famous landmark of an area around the Jōban Line associated with the color; "scarlet blossom" sets have a caricature of the Kōbuntei in Kairaku-en Park, "blue ocean" sets have a caricature of the Shioya Saki lighthouse, "yellow jonquil" sets have a caricature of the narcissuses that can be seen at the Hitachi Seaside Park, "green lake" sets have a caricature of the sailboats that could be seen around Lake Kasumigaura and "orange persimmon" sets have a caricature of the autumn leaves around the Fukuroda Falls. These stickers have since been removed due to their modification to become E653-1000 series cars. Currently, most seven-car sets sport an ivory white body, ochre skirtings and vermillion and blue motifs intended to bring a sunset over the sea of Japan to mind, while all four-car sets sport the same "white blossom" body with blue and red skirtings. Two seven-car sets were repainted in 2017; set U106 was repainted into a new all-over "ultramarine" livery in October 2017, while set U107 was repainted into a new all-over "hamanasu" (deep pink) livery in December 2017. Specifications Construction is of aluminum. End cars are 21.5 meters long while intermediate cars are 20 meters long. Traction motors use insulated gate bipolar transistors manufactured by Hitachi which have a distinctive, high-pitched cadence. The E653 series is equipped with a later version of a musical horn that is standard on most of JR East's Limited Express fleet. The musical horn is usually blasted when a set is about to depart. References *Wikipedia.org Category:JR Group trains Category:Electric Trainsets Category:Hitachi locomotives Category:Kinki Sharyo locomotives Category:Tokyu Car locomotives